Protective petticoat



.Lune L3 G. R. wlLLlAMs PROTECTIVE PETTICOAT Filedv Marc 4, 1965 LL@ L INVENTOR GLADYS RUPPEL WILLIAMS ATTORNEYS 3,324,480 PROTECTIVE PETIICGAT Gladys Ruppel Wiliiams, 406 N. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, Mo. 63122 Filed Mar. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 437,039 1 Claim. (Cl. 2--211) This invention relates generally to improvements in an article of wearing apparel, and rnore particularly to an improved, half-slip type of undergarment such as a petticoat.

It is a major objective of the present invention to provide a protective petticoat adapted to be worn by women and girls to shield outergarments from menses.

There are many types of sanitary articles used or worn by women during menstruation including absorbent catamenial inserts and pads, and moisture-proof panties made of a material such as plastic or rubber. These heretofore conventional items provide only limited protection because they are restricted in the coverage area and in the amount of menstrual discharge retained. They are of very little value to the female who is subject to an excessive discharge of the menses, and especially one who has chronic menorrhagia.

It is an important objective to provide a substantially knee-length petticoat or half-slip type of undergarment that can be worn during the menstrual period to afford much more protection over a greater area to outergarments, such as a dress, the petticoat being constructed with a moisture-proof material and being of suiicient length and fullness to shield the outergarment from a greater catamenial discharge than has been possible with the items and apparel previously available.

Of course, it is well known that womens panties have been made of moisture-proof material, as noted above, but they provide only limited protection for this female problem. Furthermore, it is well known that baby pants and diapers of moisture-proof material have been made and used, but these pertain to an entirely different infant problem and situation. Moisture-proof womens panties and baby pants are not the same article of apparel as a knee-length petticoat and do not achieve the advantageous results under menstruous conditions as does the presently disclosed protective petticoat.

Another important object is attained by the fact that the protective petticoat can be worn by any female during the menstruation period, but is particularly convenient for daily wear by the young girl at puberty or by the older woman at menopause during which the menstruation cycle is likely to be irregular, thereby precluding embrassing accidents.

Still another important object is achieved by constructing the protective petticoat of a layer of washable, moisture-proof material forming a substantially knee-length skirt having a waist-encircling upper portion.

An important object is realized in that the protective petticoat consists of a substantially knee-length skirt having an inner layer of washable, moisture-proof material, and having an outer layer of fabric superimposed over and attached to the inner layer.

Another important objective is afforded by construcing each layer of a plurality of elongate panels extending lengthwise of the skirt and secured together along lengthwise seams, it is advantageous to arrange the panels so that each panel of the outer layer overlies a corresponding panel of the inner layer, the superimposed panels being secured together at the lengthwise seams.

Yet another important objective is to achieve a protective petticoat that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, highly efficient in its prtection to outergarments from the menses, and which can 3,324,400 Patented June 13, 196'? be worn by any member of the female sex who has a need for such an item.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more carefully appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment and a modification thereof, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the protective petticoat as worn by a female;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as seen along line 4 4- of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connection of the panels comprising the inner and outer layers of the skirt at a lengthwise seam;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-sectional view of the waist-encircling upper portion to illustrate the elastic waistband, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the skirt, similar to the view of FIG. 4, but showing the skirt constructed of a single layer of washable, moisture-proof material.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, and first to FIGS. l-3 inclusive, it will be noted that the protective petticoat generally indicated at 10 is substantially of knee-length, and includes an elasticized, waist-encircling upper portion 11 and a bottom hem 12. This protective petticoat 10 constitutes a half-slip type of undergarment worn by the female under an outergarment such as a dress (not shown). In accordance with the present fashions, when the protective petticoat 10 is worn by the female, as illustrated in FIG. l, the elasticized upper portion 11 will t about the waist of the wearer and the skirt portion will extend downwardly from the waist and hips, and along the thighs so that the hem 12 will terminate just above the knee. As will be apparent upon later description of the construction of this undergarrnent, the knee-length petticoat 10 is of suicient fullness to provide adequate protection to the overlying dress from any menstrual discharge.

From FIG. 4, it will be apparent that the protective petticoat is constructed of two layers of material 13 and 14, the outer layer 14 being superimposed over the inner layer 13. The inner layer 13 is constructed of a plurality of elongate panels 15 interconnected as by sewing along their side margins. In the present embodiment, the inner layer 13 consists of three panels 15 at the front and three panels 15 at the rear, for a total of six elongate panels 15. Similarly, the outer layer 14 consists of a plurality of elongate panels 16 secured together as by sewing along their side margins. In the present embodiment, there are three panels 16 at the front and three panels 16 at the rear, for a total of six panels.

Specifically, each of the panels 16 of the outer layer 14 is superimposed over one of the corresponding panels 15 of the inner layer 13, these superimposed panels 15 and 16y being secured together along their side margins by sewing. Then, each pair of superimposed panels 15 and 16 is secured to the next adjacent pair of superimposed panels along a longitudinal, lengthwise flat seam indicated generally by reference numeral 17 in FIG. 4 and shown in detail in FIG. 5. In view of the fact that there are six pairs of superimposed inner and outer panels 15 and 16, there are six lengthwise at seams 17 as is indicated in FIG. 4.

The panels 16 comprising the outer layer 14 are of any desired fabric, such as cotton, nylon or the like. The panels 15 comprising the inner layer 13 are of a washable, moisture-proof material such as a flexible plastic sheet, rubber or chemically treated fabric. This moisture-proof material prevents the material of the outer layer 14 from becoming soiled by the menses 4of the wearer during menstruation, land also shields any outergarment such as a dress. The construction of the at seam 17, in a mannersu-ch as that shown in FIG. 5, seals the panels 15 and provides a continuous outer layer protected by a continuous, moisture-proof non-absorbent inner layer.

The upper edges of the waist-encircling portion 11 are folded under and sewn to provide -an endless loop in which is located an elastic band 21. This construction is best illustrated in FIG, 6. The loop 20 is formed on the inside of the garment so as not to show when worn. The inside of loop V20 is provided with a button-type hole 22 that communicates with its interior, the hole 22 being utilized to place the elastic band 21 within the loop 20. When the band 21 needs replacement, it can be withdrawn through the hole 22, and a new band 21 inserted.

The band 21 retained within the loop 20 constitutes an elasticized waistband that is expandable to enable placement on the body `of the wearer and contractible to fit firmly, yet comfortably, about the waist.

It will be understood that this protective petticoat can be made of different sizes to t women 'and girls. The type and extent of decoration are unlimited. For example, scallops or lace can be placed -as trim on the hem 12 and/or embroidery can be placed on the outer fabric layer 16. Any color for both the inner moisture-proof layer and the outer fabric layer can be used, the preference being the delicate white and pastel colors appropriate Vfor lingerie.

Instead of utilizing two types of materials to form the inner and outer layers of the protective petticoat, such petticoat can be constructed of a single layer of washable, moisture-proof material as indicated generally by 23 in FIG. 7. This single layer 23 consists of a plurality of elongate panels 24, three at the front and three at the rear, interconnected at their side margins by lengthwise seams 25. The protective petticoat constructed of this single layer is made similar to the disclosures of FIGS. 1-6 to provide an elasticized waistband at the waistencircling upper portion adapted to lit the waist of the wearer, and includes a hem that falls approximately to the knees of the wearer. The advantages and usage of this protective petticoat (FIG. 7) is the same as that previously described with-.respect to the protective petticoat 10 having the double layer construction of FIGS. l-6 inclusive.

It is thought that the functional advantages of the protective petticoat have become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the parts and construction, but for completeness of disclosure the usage will be briefly described.

The female having need for this protective petticoat will put it on as an undergarment beneath an outgarment such as a skirt or dress. The elasticized waistband of the protective petticoat 10 will lit snugly about the waist of 4 the wear. The skirt of this petticoat 10 Will fall free and extend downwardly to lan area just above the knees.

If there is a catamenial discharge, the menses will be caught by the washable, moisture-proof material comprising the inner layer 13 of the protective petticoat 10, thereby preventing the menses from soiling the fabric constituting the outer layer 14 of such petticoat 10 and from soiling the outergarment. Because of the area covered by the protective petticoat between the waist and the knee, it will be understood that this protective petti- Coat will provide a greater shielding area than any of the garments or items heretofore available and will provide greater protection against an excessive menstrual discharge.

Not only can this protective petticoat be conveniently and advantageously worn by women during the menstruation period, but it can be worn at all times, and is therefore particularly ruseful to the young girl at puberty or the older woman at menopause wherein the menstruation cycle is likely to Ibe irregular.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to two embodiments, such detail is to |be understood in an instructive rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

A protective petticoat comprising:

(a) a substantially knee-length skirt including two layers,

(b) one layer superimposed over the other layer,

(c) each layer having a plurality of elongate panels extending lengthwise of the skirt,

(d) each panel of the outer layer overlying a corresponding panel of the inner layer and flat, overlying seams securing the panels together along lengthwise extending edges, each of the seams providing an inner, peripherally continuous exposed surface of said panels,

(e) the panels of the inner layer being of a washable,

moisture-proof, non-absorbent material,

(f) the panels of the outer layer 'being of fabric, each of the seams providing an outer, peripherally continuous exposed surface of said panels, and

(g) the skirt having a waist-encircling upper portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 927,542 7/ 1909 Hurley 2-47 f 2,081,915 6/1937 Edmiston 2-73 2,290,166 7/1942 Craig et al. 2-82 2,486,835 1l/l949 Friedland 2-211 2,912,698 11/1959 Greenblatt 2-211 3,090,047 5/1963 De Grazia 2-82 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H, H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner'. 

